Long County, summer, noon, the scorching sun blaze once again.
The coffee shop, with an air of pretentious elegance, was decorated in a garish manner, playing slow-paced 'foreign-style' music.
Lu Cheng placed his phone on the table, introduced himself with a casual smile: "My name is Lu Cheng, Aunt Wang should have introduced me to you, I'm an emergency department doctor at the County Renmin Hospital."
The person who arrived was a young woman, around twenty-six or twenty-seven, with a delicate appearance, a beautiful figure, and an elegant demeanor. She placed her bag with a hint of apology: "I just had a parent ask about grades after work, so I was delayed for a bit."
"Dr. Lu, didn't my aunt say you were an orthopedic doctor? Why do you say you're an emergency department doctor?"
Lu Cheng was on a blind date, a common setup where teachers meet doctors introduced by family.
"This month, just yesterday, I applied to transfer to the emergency department; I used to work in orthopedics."
After casually explaining, Lu Cheng asked, "Teacher Wang, are we just going through the motions today or ticking a box?"
Having had sixteen or seventeen blind dates, Lu Cheng was quite familiar with the 'routine' of such meetings. Some people attend just to appease family pressure, going through the motions.
The woman chose to turn off her phone at this moment, curiously asking, "Dr. Lu, I'm naturally here for a proper date, not just ticking a box or going through the motions."
"Why did you transfer from orthopedics to the emergency department? Orthopedics is great, the pay is high."
"The emergency department is exhausting and doesn't pay well?"
Lu Cheng's eyebrows twitched slightly: "You also think the income in orthopedics is high? It is indeed, but our hospital's situation is a bit different."
"The hospital's structure is deficit-based performance, with reallocation based on performance points. However, there are five associate chief physicians in our department. I'm just a junior attending, so performance has nothing to do with me..."
"That's why I moved to the emergency department."
Wang Xinyue suddenly showed understanding: "So that's how it is... Dr. Lu, what are your plans for your career? Have you thought about venturing out?"
This is also a common question in blind dates; usually, teachers staying in the county are content with their lot and don't want their date to leave, wasting the time of the meet-up.
Lu Cheng shook his head: "I don't have such plans for now."
"For now? So you might work outside in the future?" Wang Xinyue was not surprised.
"That's a possibility, mainly because working in the County Hospital doesn't allow much learning, not many surgeries, and slightly complex patients get pushed away... it's like high-level triage..."
"Of course, it's not just my decision to leave."
"Medicine is highly competitive."
"Without education, there's no 'elegant' stepping stone."
"Without connections, there's no idle position."
"Without cases, without learning opportunities, there's no way to master techniques others don't know."
"So it's just a one-sided wish." Lu Cheng replied.
The barriers in medicine are very high; although it's a field based on skill, to gain 'irreplaceable' strength requires seeking guidance from teachers, not something gained through 'self-reflection.'
Each skill's learning, practicing, mastering, requires years of painstaking effort...
"Then you could pursue further studies? Many of my classmates in medicine went for master's or even Ph.D." Wang Xinyue seemed to not treat this date as a 'formal' one, just wanting someone to chat with.
Lu Cheng laughed: "I never pursued further studies before, and now being at this age, the chances are even slimmer."
He added casually: "Moreover, it's not like you can pursue a master's or Ph.D. just by wanting to. Every year, many fresh and past graduates take exams, but only a small number succeed."
Wang Xinyue asked with interest: "Dr. Lu, when you were taking exams, did you encounter any unfairness?"
Lu Cheng paused, silent for a full minute: "Not really."
Wang Xinyue said: "I heard you were from Han City University; you must have been an exceptional student, right? How could you not succeed in the exams?"
Han City University's comprehensive ranking is within the national top ten; although their medical program isn't top-notch, the admission scores are far from beautiful.
"Medicine is an experiential discipline; exams for master's or Ph.D. have little to do with studying." Lu Cheng said casually, then continued, "Teacher Wang, let's talk about something else."
"I'll briefly mention my situation, I'll be thirty in September, have a mortgage for a house, my car is fully paid for and costs around fifteen grand."
"I smoke, don't drink, don't use betel nut, have no dating experience... been on over a dozen blind dates..."
"Teacher Wang, is there anything else you want to ask?"
Wang Xinyue listened, her eyes slightly raised: "Dr. Lu, Teacher Wang has a matter today, actually I'm Han Jingyi..."
Lu Cheng's expression remained calm: "Then Teacher Han, feel free to ask questions."
Blind dates come in various forms, attended by friends, parents, or even the person themselves...
Han Jingyi thought for a moment, suddenly asking: "Dr. Lu, do you mind changing the person you are on a blind date with?"
Lu Cheng's expression flickered.
It seems today's women really have endless tricks up their sleeves?
Lu Cheng: "..."
After a careful look, Lu Cheng found the girl sitting across from him was quite a beauty, with a standard oval face, naturally long eyebrows not requiring makeup, large eyes, bright pupils, a prominent nose, a long neck...
Not sure if she was testing him, but since she was playing along, Lu Cheng saw no need to treat her as a 'person'!
"Okay then!" Lu Cheng smiled with a hint of reluctance.
"Dr. Lu, would you mind if your date has higher qualifications than you and is also in the same field?" Han Jingyi asked.
"Are you also a doctor?" Lu Cheng glanced at the girl across him with surprise.
Han Jingyi modestly lowered her head a bit: "Yes, sort of. Dr. Lu, I am currently an academic type Ph.D., just started my first year this year..."
Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng asked: "Dr. Han, did Teacher Wang ask you to come here to test me?"
"Actually, there's no need for that. If she didn't want to come, she could have just sent a message. No need for all the convoluted maneuvering."
Han Jingyi looked up, shook her head: "It's not that, Senior Brother Lu... look again? Don't you remember me?"
Lu Cheng examined Han Jingyi carefully again, unable to match her to anyone he knew, but her calling him Senior Brother left Lu Cheng a bit embarrassed.
"Honestly, I don't remember." Lu Cheng said.
"Han City University, Zhongnan Hospital, Orthopedics Department Two..."
"Back then, you were a resident doctor; I was Professor Lan's research assistant." Han Jingyi explained seriously.
"You were also the top scorer in Modu Huashan Hospital's written exam."
Upon hearing this, Lu Cheng's eyes became clearer: "Han? How did you come here? Are you also from Xiangzhou?"
Han Jingyi shook her head, her gaze clear: "No, I'm from neighboring Feng County. I was high school classmates with Wang Xinyue, and after graduation, I took the civil service exam in Long County; she said there was a blind date she didn't want to attend."
"So she asked me to substitute for her, and since I was on vacation and found it was you, Senior Brother, I came in."
"Senior Brother Lu, why didn't you try a second attempt at re-examination? Your scores were so good..." Han Jingyi asked.
Lu Cheng and 'Han Jingyi' were old acquaintances, he replied: "Back then, I was young and arrogant, hadn't faced the harsh realities of society, thinking I could rise above without a good mentor."
"But here I am, beaten down like a drowned rat, can't even stay in the original orthopedics department."
Medicine is experiential; without a good mentor teaching, without enough cases to support, talent is worthless, let alone some qualifications!
Even having a system won't help without patients.
"In retrospect, I shouldn't have aimed so high. Should have chosen to study at the local institute or attempted again for the second year." Lu Cheng's voice was somewhat wistful but not too disappointed.
Some talent might not support Lu Cheng's 'arrogance', but having a system might make a difference.
"Senior Brother Lu, I heard you applied to Fudan both in college entrance exams and graduate exams, do you have a particular reason for that? Any secrets?" Han Jingyi asked casually.
Lu Cheng straightened his posture slightly, carefully scrutinized her, and squinted with amusement: "Dr. Han, are you here for a blind date or gossiping? I feel like your motives aren't straightforward."
Han Jingyi pondered, then gestured subtly in a direction: "Actually, both... I was also sent on an errand."
Lu Cheng turned his head to look, and saw a 'figure' that looked more mature but familiar sitting upright there, and upon seeing him look over, she 'familiarly' grew nervous again...